Welcome to our comprehensive parking glossary, your go-to resource for understanding all the essential terms related to parking, tickets, and regulations. Whether you're a seasoned driver or just starting out, navigating the complexities of parking rules and regulations can be daunting. That's where our glossary comes in handy. We've compiled a comprehensive list of terms commonly used in the parking industry, from common abbreviations like PCN (Parking Charge Notice) to more complex concepts like controlled parking zones and permit parking. With clear and concise definitions, our glossary is designed to help you better understand parking-related terminology, empowering you to navigate parking situations with confidence.

Whether you're trying to decipher parking signs, understand your rights when issued a ticket, or simply want to brush up on parking-related jargon, our glossary has you covered. From understanding the different types of parking violations to learning about the various parking enforcement agencies, our goal is to provide you with the knowledge and tools you need to navigate the world of parking effectively. So whether you're parking on the street, in a garage, or in a private lot, our glossary will equip you with the information you need to park smartly and avoid any parking-related headaches.

Glossary Terms

AOS - Approved Operator Scheme  
‍The name of the BPA’s Accredited Trade Association.

‍ANPR - Automatic Number Plate Recognition
‍Is a technology that uses CCTV to read vehicle registration plates.

‍ATA - An Accredited Trade Association is an industry trade group. With regards to parking, a private parking company must be a member of an ATA in order to be granted access to the DVLA database.

‍BPA - The British Parking Association is the professional association that represents the entire parking sector across the UK.CCTV - Closed Circuit Television.

‍CEO - Civil Enforcement Officers.

‍CoP - Code of Practice. Find the BPA's version here.

‍CPZ - Controlled Parking Zone - an example of a CPZ is an on street resident parking scheme.

‍DPE - Decriminalised Parking Enforcement, also known as Civil Parking Enforcement. In most of England and Wales, all of Northern Ireland and in Scotland's cities and larger towns, local authroties will patrol and enforce waiting and loading restrictions

‍DVLA - The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency is the organisation of the UK government responsible for maintaining a database of drivers in Great Britain and a database of vehicles for the entire United Kingdom.

‍IPC - The International Parking Community is the newest Accredited Trade Association in the Private Parking Sector.

‍Grace Period - This is to allow motorists to consider the terms and conditions of parking and either comply with them or vacate the parking area. This is an imposed requirement for local authorities.

‍PATAS - The Parking and Traffic Adjudication Service – now London Tribunals - supports the Environment and Traffic Adjudicators and the Road User Charging Adjudicators, which are the independent tribunals that consider appeals against Penalty Charge Notices issued by the London Local Authorities and Transport for London.

‍PCN - The acronym for parking tickets that differs depending on who it was issued by. A Penalty Charge Notice is issued by a local authority and a Parking Charge Notice is issued by a private parking operator.

‍PiPA - The BPA's Professionalism in Parking Accreditation is a new, audited accreditation for organisations.

‍PoFA - Introduced in 2012, the Protection of Freedoms Act contained new laws for parking on private land, including making it illegal to clamp vehicles.

‍POPLA - an independent appeals service that was started following the passage of the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012.

‍TPT - The Traffic Penalty Tribunal is an independent tribunal that considers appeals by motorists whose vehicles have been issued with Penalty Charge Notices by councils in England and Wales.